Multiple unit switch with single actuator



Nov. 6, 1951 R. N. ROWE MULTIPLE UNIT SWITCH WITH SINGLE ACTUATOR 2 SHEETSSHEET l IN VENTOR RAYMOND N. Rowe 1% ATTORNEY Filed Jan. 16, 1947 INSULATION NOV. 6, 1951 ROWE MULTIPLE UNIT SWITCH WITH SINGLE ACTUATOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1947 INSULATION w E E2: 2:: T

IN VENTOR RAYMOND N. Rowe ATERNE'Y Patented Nov. 6, 1951 MULTIPLE UNIT SWITCH WITH SINGLE I ACTUATOR Raymond N. Rowe, Plainville, Conn., assignor, by mesne assignments, toGeneral Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application January 16, 1947, Serial No. 722,349

1 2 Claims. In certain types of electrical switches, principally those used as machine tool controls, it is highly desirable to have a flexibility of poles of different amperage, voltage, and sometimes A. C. or D. C. operated simultaneously bya single switching handle or mechanism. Furthermore, the number of poles to be operated may vary in number from time to time depending upon the type of machine which it is desired to control.

The present invention provides means whereby the number, rating, fusible characteristics, etc..

of various poles on a switch may be varied or altered during assembly of the switch or in the field after manufacture. This is accomplished by building the switch out of a structure of individual pole units, each one of which has similar mounting details, at least on one end, and identical location and extent of throw of the switch operating mechanism, although their fusible characteristics and their interrupting ability may be different one from another.

In the accompanying drawings and description I have shown and described a manually operable switch with quick make and break or snap-action mechanism but these features are not essential to the broader aspects of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a front view of one construction embodying my invention adapted to a three-pole system but showing only two different pole units in place.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side view and partial section of the same showing theparts of the larger unit in the closed circuit position.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the smaller pole unit.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a fragment of a supporting terminal strip with an extension.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a fragment of a terminal strip with a separate extens1on.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of another arrangement for the terminal strip.

The form of the invention herein shown and described is intended for mounting within a receptacle and has a supporting base or frame consisting of a top plate iii-having depending sides H, II and ends 12 and I3, the latter being adapted for attachment to some suitable foundation such as the bottom of a receptacle (not shown). The front of the frame is preferably overlaid with a plate of insulating material l4. A number of discrete switch units such as l5 and i6, one for each pole, are detachably mounted on the front of the frame and snap-action mechanism such for instance as is fully shown and described in my application Serial Number 713,194

filed November 30, 1946, now Patent No. 2,494,314 dated January 10, 1950, is mounted beneath the frame within the boundaries of the side and end members.

Mounted across the upper and lower ends of the frame are insulating cross bars I! and I8 secured by screws l9.

Upon these bars I! and I8 are mounted terminal strips 20, 20 and 2|, 2| respectively secured by bolts or studs such as 22. These strips support the switch units and also afford means for attachment of cable or conductor lugs at 23 so that the stresses applied by these lugs do not affect the switch units.

The construction shown provides for three switch units, only two of which are shown. All may be alike or unlike as to details of construction and fusing but each is provided with means for securing it to the terminal strips and means for coaction with the switching mechanism. The particular construction of switch unit shown is more fully shown and described in my application Serial Number 708,375 filed November 7, 1946, now Patent No. 2,468,235 dated April 26, 1949.

In the form shown each switch unit has two insulating side plates such as 25, 25 which support all of the conducting parts including the terminals 26 and 21 which are detachably mounted on the bolts or studs 22 on the cross bars I1 and I8 and secured by nuts 28 and 29 respectively. Fuse terminal 36 is integrally connected to circuit terminal 26. Switch contact 3| is integral with the circuit terminal 21. The other switch contact 32 is integral with the other fuse terminal 33. The movable swich member 34 is forked and slides between the contacts 3| and 32. Switch member 34 is secured to a saddle or yoke 35 which has ears 36 guided in slots 31 in the opposite side plates 25 of the unit. This yoke 35 is of U-shape and designed to facilitate application to a transverse actuating bar 39 and its insulating sleeve 40 which extend across the front of the supporting frame and are carried by two arms 4|, 4| which are hinged at 42, 42 to the opposite sides of the frame.

An actuating lever 43 positioned behind the top plate is hinged at 44 and has a forked arm 45 which engages one end of the bar 39. An actuating rod or shaft 46 has a handle or knob 41 and extends through an arcuate slot 48 in the front of the supporting frame. The lower end of the rod 46 is connected to the lever 43 through snap action mechanism in the back of suitable type such as shown and claimed in my former 3 application so that by moving the rod through slot 49 the lever 43 may be rotated on its axis and thus move the bar 39 and its sleeve 40 up and down to open and close the circuit by the movement of the switch member 34.

In Figs. 2 and 4, I have shown a switch unit ll basically like switch unit I5 but in this case of a smaller size intended to provide for a different current'from unit H5. The same reference numerals are used as in describing unit I5 but prime marks areused. For instance, the circuit terminals 26 and 2'! correspond with terminals 26 and 21 of unit l5, altho terminal 27' may be shorter than terminal 21 as will be later understood.

In Figs. 2 and 4, I have shown a small cartridge type fuse 50 mounted inclips 5|, 52 on the fuse terminals 30, 33'.

In case the over-all length of a switch unit is less than the distance between the upper and lower studs 20, 2|v there are various ways of mounting the switch unit as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. For instance, in Fig. 5 I have shown the terminal strip 2Ia as provided with an integral.

extension 50 upon which the switch terminal connected with the switch contact may be mounted and suitably secured by a bolt or screw in a conventional manner. Such an arrangement could for instance accommodate a 30, 60 or 100 ampere switch unit.

a In Fig. 6 Ihave shown a separate extension 6| which can be mounted on top of terminal 2| and provided with means for supporting a switch unit. Such extensions may have provision for accommodating one or more different lengths of units.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a fragmeht of an insulating cross bar l8a with a terminal strip 2| mounted upon it. Such a cross bar or a part of it can be itself arranged to be adjusted orsecured to the support at different distances from the cross bar I'I so as to accommodate one or more switch units of the desired lengths. For this purpose the bar l8a may be secured by one or more bolts in additional holes such as 62 or 63. It' will be understood however that the switch units for a given supporting and actuating structure must all have the same length from.

the supports on cross bar l1 to the switch contacts so that all of the switch members will be actuated simultaneously when the crank shaft 39 is moved up and down.

It will thus be seen that switches designed for fuses of different characteristics and sizes may be interchangeably mounted on the frame and actuated simultaneously by the same mechanism.

In the manually operable snap action type here shown it will be seen that by oiisetting the others and each switch unit can be removed.

added'or replaced independently of all the others.

eccentric to said hub and movable in said slot and having its rear end secured to the hub of said snap action mechanism.

2. A quick make and break switch construction comprising a base plate having side flanges, snap action mechanism mounted on the back of said plate between said flanges, an insulating-cross bar detachably mounted across each end of said plate at the front thereof, line and load circuit terminal members detachably mounted on said actuating rod or shaft 46 from the central axis of'the snap action mechanism, I am able to locate the customary three switch units symmetrically of the base, one in the center and one on each side so that the switch units will be in the most convenient spots for wiring in conventional boxes.

Each fuse or other protective device can be easily removed or replaced independently of the insulatin bars, discrete switch units each having terminal feet detachably mounted on the respective terminal members and being removable independently from said terminal members, a crank member hinged to said flanges and extending across the front of said base plate between said cross bars and being operatively con nected with said snap action mechanism beneath the base plate, each switch unit having a switch member slidable between said cross bars and each slidable switch member having a yoke removably connected with said crank member, and means for manually actuating said snap action mechanism from the front of said base plate, said switch units being individually removable without disturbing the line and load circuit connections or the crank member or snap action mechanism or the actuating means.

RAYMOND N. ROWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,824,137 Hammerly Sept. 22, 1931 1,838,020 Hammerly Dec. 22, 1931 1,856,448 Wadsworth May 3, 1932 1,863,523 Hammerly June 14, 1932 1,889,515 Hammerly Nov. 29, 1932 1,892,854 Sachs Jan. 3, 1933 1,894,543 Rowe Jan. 17, 1933 2,050,378 Randall Aug. 11', 1936 2,168,747 Christensen Aug. 8, 1939 2,178,600 Millermaster Nov. 7, 1939 2,216,298 Rowe Oct. 1, 1940 2,263,760 Currie Nov. 25, 1941 2,394,090 McFarland, Jr. Feb. 5, 1946 2,467,307 Hammerly Apr. 12, 1949 2,468,235 Rowe Apr. 26, 1949 2,515,449 Hammerly July 18, 1950 

